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Wednesday, June 15, 2016

HAUL | My Spring/Summer Hair, Skin, Body, and Makeup Picks

Hello, everyone! I can't remember the last time I shared a haul on the blog, so I figured I should share with you some amazing new finds that I ordered from Nordstrom recently. I haven't been shopping for much makeup these days. I keep it really simple with foundation, mascara, and lipstick. But on the flip side, my body and hair care routines have become a lot more thorough and shall I say.. complete?

Since I have talked your ears off about sunscreen the past couple years, I'll skip the lecture and head straight into Eve Lom. A lot of folks don't know that almost all of Eve Lom's products are sold on Nordstrom.com, but they are. Her chemical sunscreen is the absolute best for normal to dry skin. I am not loyal to any of her other products, but this Daily Protection Broad Spectrum SPF 50 is perfect in every day. I love the dewy effect!

In case you are curious, I haven't filmed videos due to personal/family issues and more importantly, a really awful hair cut. In order to distract me from the bangs situation that I got myself into, I decided to try a few things that piqued my interest — focusing more on styling the shorter 'do and taking better care of my color. I went with a dark brown and honestly, I look in the mirror and the only word that crosses my mind is boring. The new tools I have been using, however, are anything but boring!

I have raved about Ibiza hair brushes before. I own the Medium and Large sizes (multiples of each), which are excellent for creating volume at the crown, but with my shorter length, blow drying the front of my hair became more cumbersome. The Cork Round Brush in Small is incredible at creating a smooth all over my head! It feels more stiff than the other two sizes because it still needs to be broken in, but I think that actually helps keeps my hair sleek and shiny.

Now, the blow dryer I have been using is the most expensive tool I have ever purchased, but it dries my medium length hair in 5 minutes. No joke, just five minutes. If I actually take the time to style it, I can give myself a blow out in 15 minutes. The cool button produces the coolest air I have ever experienced from a hair dryer. I still adore and use my T3 Micro dryers, but if you can get over the sticker shock of the Bio Ionic 10x Pro Ultralight Speed Dryer, then you need to order it asap!

Kiehl's has always been a skin care brand to me, but I have fallen head over heels for their body products. I started using the Grapefruit Lotion when my sister gifted it to me last year, and I've always enjoyed how quickly it dries. Since my skin is ultra dry, however, I randomly tried the cult classic Creme de Corps and holy cow! I don't think I can live without it any more. It deeply moisturizes and the warm but subtle vanilla scent is addicting. I started out by using the smaller 8oz bottle but the larger 16 oz bottle is a better buy. Best of all, the pump makes it very convenient to use!

Let's move on to hair care because I have always been a fan of high quality shampoo and conditioner. I adore Christophe Robin and Oribe beyond measure, but I have been searching for more affordable alternatives. I am keeping my fingers crossed that the Kiehl's Sunflower Color Preserving Shampoo and Conditioner duo will be the best I've tried in the $30 price range. I will be changing my hair color on Friday, so I have been waiting to try them (as I see no point in wasting it on my current color).

Finally, for a bit of makeup! I have to go out of my way to remind myself to put eye cream to this day, so applying a tinted eye product in the morning is no easy feat. Fortunately, I am a big proponent of sunscreen so the Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Eye Perfector SPF 30 totally works for me. I have been struggling with dark circles the past couple months, and this helps brighten up my eyes just as much as any another concealer. It gives me sun protection without stinging my eyeballs!

So allow me to discuss the mascara I have kind of been keeping a secret.. I am absolutely in love with the new Armani Eyes to Kill Wet Waterproof Mascara! Quite frankly, I stopped using all others because nothing I try can top this formula. It does not move, it lengthens, it adds volume, and it holds curl up for 12+ hours without looking entirely clumpy. I do curl my eyelashes before applying it. If you struggle to find a truly budge-proof mascara, then give this mascara a try! Shown here is my second tube.

RMS Beauty is not new to the beauty scene, but it definitely is new to Nordstrom. Instead of ordering the famed cream luminizer, I decided to try their Tinted Un Powder in Shade 2-3 since I felt it was a more practical buy. I like the smaller packaging and the whole natural concept. I have always felt that it is more important to find a product that is worth every penny you pay as opposed to clinging to what is "natural" but apparently, RMS does a good job at both. I can't wait to see if the rumors are true!

Koh Gen Do also makes excellent powders, loose and pressed. But instead of buying more powders I don't exactly need — do I need any makeup anymore? — I ordered their liquid/cream foundation sponge. I love that black case! I am not tired of beautyblenders, but I wanted to try the opposite kind of shape. Since Koh Gen Do is a brand based in Japan, I figured the contours of the sponge might fit my Asian American face better.

Last but not least, let's wrap up with fragrance. I wanted some travel friendly bottles that I could pop into the smallest of my purses, and these Jo Malone beauties fit the bill. Although I love Nectarine Blossom and Honey, I personally found that it lost its appeal a while back because so many women wear it as their signature scent nowadays. Nothing wrong with that, of course, because I fully support wearing what you like!

Skipping my usual My Burberry Eau de Toilette, I tried on the recently released Wild Strawberry and Parsley Cologne and discovered that it is a great spring scent since it leans green. It leans extra green and a bit sharper on my skin than most, so I realized that topping it with a spritz of Nectarine Blossom and Honey made it much more lovely and girly. It is the perfect combo for me, so I highly recommend you give it a try if you're also looking for something familiar yet refreshingly different!

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